Ever since she was a child, Kathy loved to draw. She loved making a three dimensional object appear magically on a two dimensional surface with just a pencil or a crayon. Long before she knew anything about meditation, she noticed that she could transport herself to a different place simply through the process of drawing. Still, while she loved this magical experience, and had dreams of spending her life at an easel, she thought she needed to pursue more “serious” things.

Kathy loved the art classes she took here and there, now and again, while she made her way into the high technology field. A couple of stints of volunteerism in classrooms put her on a detour into the field of education, but somehow she found herself back in high tech.

As a break from the bleak confines of a sterile office building, she began taking long walks along the nearby creeks and spending time in the hills, where she discovered the wildflowers, the birds, and the other wildlife that were hiding almost in plain sight just outside the hustle and bustle of Silicon Valley daily life.

Once she realized that the high tech life was not the life she wanted to live, a fortuitous layoff allowed her the time to really connect with nature. She discovered the local flora and fauna while taking long hikes to clear her head. And she started to draw birds.

Thinking she should continue to pursue “serious” work, she thought about becoming a science illustrator. She found a program in botanical art, which she completed as a stepping stone into science illustration, while also taking classes in drawing and painting birds and other wildlife. At some point she realized that she was tired of “serious” pursuits, and began to paint what was in her heart. There has been no going back.